With My Whole Heart
by Jack M. Kaiser
Summary: A trip and fall off-world spells dire consequences for Jack. Will he survive to give his heart to the woman he loves?
1. Chapter 1

It was hot. Or maybe it was just him. The air felt thick as though it was made from the heaviest cotton soaked in boiling water, making it damn near impossible to draw an adequate breath. Every sound entered his ear as if he were under water. The smell of the food made his stomach churn and cramp. He rubbed his arm in effort to quell the burning pain that was creeping down it from his chest. The longer he sat there the worse it got. It had had started out that afternoon shortly after they returned from that damn planet that made the mosquitoes in Minnesota seem nothing more than gnats. On the way back to the Stargate he'd tripped over a large tree root and cut his forearm on a damn rock. Ever since then he'd a burning sensation that started at the cut and slowly made its way to his chest where it set up a permanent camp. A sharp pain shot through his chest like a knife, causing his vision to narrow to a mere tunnel. Okay, maybe it was time to go see good ol' Doc Fraiser now. His legs felt like half set Jell-o as he stood from his seat at the commissary table.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

That sounded like Daniel talking to him, but he wasn't entirely sure. It sounded more like that little yellow bird from the Snoopy cartoons. Come on, Jack old boy. It ain't that hard. Just let go of the damn table and move your feet. One step. That was all the farther he got until his legs gave out and sent him careening to the floor, taking the tablecloth with him. Everything that was on the table crashed down at his feet, splattering him with food, liquid, and shattered crockery. The pain in his chest reached a crescendo as he felt hands on him, the distorted voices cackling in his ear. Dear God why can't he just die and make the pain stop? A blurry figure appeared in his rapidly fading line of sight, doc to the rescue. He could almost make out her words, almost. Okay, Jack, think. What does good ol' doc asked all the time when you're hurt? How the hell do ya plan on telling her anyway?

"Cchhesss-t hu-rrtss."

Damn that was pitiful. Floating. Nope, just getting put on a gurney. Normally a trip to the infirmary would be the last thing he'd want, but this time he welcomed it like shade on a hot day. He wanted the pain to stop before it burned his veins out of his body and totally crushed the breath out of his chest. Can't breath. Unconsciousness wrapped its beloved arms around him, but the pain was still there. Enough was enough. He couldn't take anymore. It was time to let go. With a quick goodbye to all those he cared for, Jack O'Neill took his final breath.

SG1SG1SG1

"Dr. Fraiser, we've lost his pulse," Nurse Johnson announced with her fingers still on the pulse point of Jack's neck.

Janet jumped into action and began do chest compressions on Jack before starting to issue orders, "Johnson, go ahead and bag him. Come on people; let's get him down to the infirmary stat!"

Janet straddled Jack on the gurney and continued chest compressions while the rest of her team steered the gurney out of the commissary with very anxious SG-1 in tow. Minutes later the gurney carrying Jack burst through the infirmary doors and Janet immediately set her team into action.

"I want him on a monitor. Johnson get me an intubation tray. Keelson, I want a full blood work panel on him and get a catheter in him to get a urine sample. Davidson, get an IV and a central line in him then get the fluids going. Let's get moving! I want to know what's going on," Janet barked the orders without missing a beat with the chest compressions.

As soon as the leads were attached, the heart monitor screamed to life. The shrill alarm echoed through the room and the display showed a far from normal pattern causing Janet's own heart to sink deep into her chest. Jack, healthy as a horse, O'Neill was having a massive heart attack.

SG1SG1SG1

Sam's foot tapped a rapid staccato on the floor that echoed down the long corridor. She looked at her watch for what she assumed was the millionth time since Jack was wheeled through the infirmary doors. 6:45; it had been an hour. What was going on in there? Was Jack okay? What happened to him? The questions formed in her mind then went on and on like a merry go round that had gone out of control. She looked around at her teammates; Daniel leaned against the wall across from her chewing his nails and Teal'c stood strong as though he were deep in mediation. General Hammond had been told of the medical emergency and had come to join the wait a half an hour ago. 6:55. Time was ticking by oh so slowly, almost at a crawl. She wished that she had told Jack how she felt about him before. Damn the Air Force! The only man that she had ever truly loved could be lying dead on the other side of the door and he would never know because she let some damn regulations stand in the way. 7:00. The wait was getting to be too much for her to bear. Why hadn't anyone come out to tell them anything yet? The sucking sound of the infirmary door opening snapped her out of her thoughts and sent her jumping to her feet. The relief that she felt faded quick like smoke in the wind when she saw the downtrodden expression on Janet's face.

"Janet?" Sam could barely choke the words out. The need to know fought with the fear of knowing.

"Colonel O'Neill suffered a massive heart attack. I did some tests and it appears that he's got a major blockage in one of the valves of his heart," Janet informed them while trying to desperately maintain a professional decorum. It just wasn't her patient in there; it was her friend as well. "We've got him as stabilized as much as we possibly can in his condition, but I don't know how much longer it's going to last. Sir, he needs open heart surgery as soon as possible if he's going to survive."

Hammond swallowed hard; a heart attack wasn't good especially in a healthy and active man like Jack O'Neill. "Just tell me who you need, Doctor, and I'll have them here within the hour."

"Dr. Waterson is one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in the state. You should be able to reach him through Colorado Springs General Hospital," Janet told him hopefully. She knew that if Hammond could get the surgeon there and fast that Jack would stand a good chance at surviving.

Hammond nodded and hurried toward the elevators.

Sam looked at Janet with despair. She'd heard what Janet said, but she didn't want to believe it, "Janet how is he, really?"

Janet let out an exasperated sigh and looked sadly at her friend, "He's not good at all, Sam. I've had to heavily sedate him. He was in so much pain and his heart was being overworked as a result of that and the blockage. I have him on total life support."

The invisible arms that had been keeping a tight grip around her chest since the events in the commissary squeezed even tighter, threatening to squeeze the very life out of her. She could feel Daniel wrap his arm around her shoulders as she stared at Janet like a deer caught in the headlights.

It took quite a bit of effort for Sam to find her voice and talk over the large lump in her throat, "Can I sit with him until the surgeon comes?"

"Of course," Janet replied gently knowing that Jack might not have much longer.

"We'll wait here," Daniel told them and Teal'c gave a nod in assent.

Sam stood from the chair and followed Janet through the infirmary door leaving Daniel and Teal'c behind. She was thankful to them for allowing her some private time with Jack. The bond between them was so strong and she was almost certain that they knew that she needed to talk to Jack alone. It was only a short distance to the small critical care area that sat just outside of the operating theater, but it felt like they had walked to the other side of the Earth. A slight tremble took over Sam's body when they arrived at the unit and the haunting melody from the life sustaining machines floated into her ears. She hesitantly walked toward the curtained off bed, fearful of the sight that awaited her.

Janet out a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder, "Go ahead. I'll be in my office."

"Thanks, Janet."

Sam waited until she saw Janet disappear into her office before she stepped around the curtain. What she saw knocked the air right out of her lungs. Jack's pale body lay still and motionless on the bed. Tubes and wires weaved a ghastly web over his body. She sat down in the chair at his bedside and took his hand in hers, shocked at the cool and clammy feel of it.

"Jack?" Sam kept her voice low and it cracked slightly as she spoke, "Please hang on. Hammond is getting a doctor here that'll help you."

Sam gazed intently at Jack's face, concentrating hard as she tried to will some strength into him. Her thumb began to trace gentle circles on the back of his hand. Tears stung at her eyes, begging to be released. With one careful look around to be sure they was alone, she leaned closer to his ear.

"Jack, there's something that I need to tell you. I should've told you long ago, but I let the damn Air Force dictate my life and my love. Jack, I love you. I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please, Jack, keep fighting and come back to me!"

With her soul bared, Sam rested her head on the safety rail of Jack's bed and let the tears fall down her cheeks. At this point she really didn't care who saw or heard. The love of her life was dying and that was all that mattered to her. She cursed herself for not letting Jack know that he was loved, that _she_ loved him, in between prayers that he would live.

She sat there with him for the next thirty minutes, rubbing his hand and talking gently to him until Janet came in to tell her that the surgeon was there and they needed to get Jack ready for the OR. Sam just stood there, no matter how hard she tried to she just couldn't let go of Jack's hand.

Janet gave her a sympathetic look, "I'll tell you what. You can sit with him and hold his hand while we shave his chest and then you can walk with him to the OR."

"Thanks, Janet," Sam replied with a relieved voice.

The invisible arms around Sam chest returned and their grip was tighter than ever before as she watched Janet run the razor over Jack's chest and stomach all the way down to his groin area. Jack didn't even so much as twitch throughout the entire procedure. It was over in minutes and before Sam knew it, Janet and the nurses we're unlocking the wheels of Jack's bed. It was time. Without letting go of Jack's hand, Sam stepped back as they maneuvered the bed from its stall. She held onto Jack's hand as they walked down the hallway. When they got to the double stainless steel doors she leaned over and gave Jack a kiss on the forehead, not caring who saw it what they thought.

SG1SG1SG1

An hour later, the remaining members of SG-1 sat in the observation room with General Hammond watching their friend being operated on down below. It was hard for them to watch, seeing Jack lying there with his chest wide open and hooked to so many machines, but to them the grotesqueness of the sight took a backseat to the hopefulness of the vigil. They watched as Dr. Waterson worked on the artery going into Jack's heart where Janet had seen the blockage. The surgeon's hands moved slow and methodically. Sam chewed on her knuckles as she said a silent prayer. By now she had a never ending mantra going on in her head; let Jack be okay- let Jack be okay.

"Oh my God, what is that?" Janet's startled voice snapped Sam from her thoughts.

Sam looked over to see Daniel, Teal'c, and General Hammond leaning over in their seats staring intently below. Sam's breath caught in her throat.

Hammond leaned over and activated the microphone, "What's the problem, Doctor?"

"I'm not sure, Sir. It looks like a worm of some sort," Janet responded as she held an emesis basin up for Dr. Waterson to drop the creature into.

"Is it a Goa'uld?" Hammond asked.

"No, I don't think so. It has totally different anatomy and color. It looks like a worm of some sort. I'll have it sent to the lab for testing."

The rest of what was said was nothing more than static in Sam's ears; her mind too busy to process the words. Her eyes fluttered between the heart and lung machine, to the heart monitor, to the ventilator tube in Jack's mouth, and then on Jack as though she was making sure that everything was as it should be and that Jack was alive.

SG1SG1SG1

The early morning hours found Sam sitting vigil at Jack's bedside, his pale hand lying limply in hers. A chill ran down her spine every time she looked at the long, stapled incision down the center of his chest and the blue breathing tube that passed through his ashen lips. The countless machines that surrounded him played a comforting symphony. She'd been sitting with him ever since he'd come out of surgery a little over an hour ago and despite the frequent urgings from Janet to get some rest, she wasn't going anywhere until he woke up.

SG1SG1SG1

It was well after noon before there was any movement from Jack and much to Sam's delight, she was there. She'd had her head resting on the rail of his bed and was fast asleep when she felt his hand that she'd been holding twitch slightly. At first she thought that she was dreaming or maybe that it had actually been her hand that moved. She looked up in time to see Jack's deep brown eyes staring back at her from under half open lids.

"Jack! Sir, you're awake," Sam exclaimed excitedly, quickly correcting herself from using his first name. She could see a pleased glint in Jack's sleepy eyes. "I'm going to go and get Janet."

Sam hurried down the hall to Janet's office and told her that Jack was awake. Janet grabbed Jack's chart and within in a few minutes they were back at Jack's bedside. He was sleeping again so Janet laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"Colonel? Can you open your eyes for me again please?"

Jack's eyes slowly slid open and he looked blearily up at them. His gaze flickered from the top of Sam's head before drifting down as low as he could see as if he was giving her the once over to see if she was okay. Janet smiled, knowing that Jack was trying to make sure that his team was okay and trying to piece together why he was there.

"Your team's okay, Sir. Somehow a worm got into you and made its way to your heart where it got stuck causing you to have a heart attack. We had to get in a cardiothoracic surgeon to do surgery to remove the worm," Janet paused to give Jack a chance to process what he'd been told. To say that he looked shock was an understatement; it was a look of fear and disbelief. "The breathing tube is in to help you breath. I'll take it out tomorrow if everything stays on track."

Jack blinked and gave a slight nod of his head to show that he understood what he was told. For a second he seemed deep in thought, he shot a quick look down and then back up at Janet. She looked down when he twitched his left hand.

Realization hit Janet as she remembered, "Do you think it went in your hand when you cut it? The way things happened yesterday I completely forgot about it, but I think that you're right."

Jack nodded as his eyes began to slide slowly closed.

Janet smiled, "Get some rest, Sir."

Janet went about checking Jack over, careful not to wake him. Sam hovered anxiously behind her. When she was finished, she left Sam to sit with Jack while she went to talk to General Hammond.

SG1SG1SG1

"What have you got Doctor?" Hammond asked as he sat at the head of the table in the briefing room.

Janet looked around the table at the faces of Jack's teammates and friends sitting around the table, their forlorn expressions tugged at her heart. She glanced down at the report in front of her before she began to speak, "The lab reports came back and they identified the worm as a parasite native to the planet. Apparently it's similar to the blow fly larvae here on earth by it eating flesh of dead animals until it matures. When it made its way into the Colonel it was near maturity and it got stuck in the artery at its heart when it reached the stage where it was ready to cocoon."

Hammond continued to fiddle with the pen in his hand, "Will there be any long term effects?"

"As far as the heart attack, I don't know. The Colonel had a healthy heart and so far his readings have all been within normal range. We'll keep monitoring him and he'll have to take a regimen of medications along with cardiac rehab once he's up to it," Janet answered him with a sickening feeling in her stomach. Now she had to tell them the worst part and it wasn't going to be easy. "According to his latest blood work results, there is a small amount a foreign substance in his blood from the worm. The substance has done some damage to his nervous system causing a condition similar to Parkinson's disease. That's why he's been experiencing the weakness and tremors."

"How soon can be back on active duty?" Daniel asked hopefully.

Janet's heart sank. It was the question that she had been dreading and now it was there in the open. Exposed by the man she loved and that made it a million times harder to answer. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath in a futile attempt to steady herself, "He won't be, Daniel."

The silence that over took the room was deafening and the despair was like an invisible iron hand hitting them. The thought of Jack O'Neill not being able to go off world was hard to swallow.

"Have you told him yet?" Sam asked in a voice that totally betrayed her emotions.

Janet swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat and was on the verge of choking the life right out of her. She recalled the dejected look on Jack's face when they'd had _that_ talk earlier that morning. It was almost as though he knew, but hearing it made it real and confirmed his worse fear. In fact, it was the first thing that he'd asked three days ago when she removed the ventilator. When can I go back to work? How long am I trapped here for? He was barely able to breathe on his own and he was already bugging to be set free. Now as she looked into Sam's tear filled eyes, it made those same feelings return, "Yes, he knows. I talked to him this morning."

Janet watched sadly as Sam jumped up from the table and ran from the room.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack lay on his bed and stared at the wall. It was a hard blow to find out that he would have to retire from the Air Force again, only this time he wouldn't be coming back. At first he was angry. A damn worm had taken away the only life he'd ever really known, but it didn't take him long to find the silver lining in that black cloud. Sam. Being retired meant that there were no more regs keeping him from telling her that he loved her. Would she want a retired cynical Air Force colonel with a bum ticker and a terminal case of the shakes?

SG1SG1SG1

Sam sat in her office with the lights off, her arms folded on her work table with her head resting on them. Her sobs echoed in the dark empty room. She wondered why this had to happen to Jack. It made her angry that it happened, yet relieved that he was alive. She knew that she wouldn't be able to live life without him. Now she had the chance to be with him. No regulations stopping them. Now was the time. She stood up and dried her eyes. With a confident stride, she walked out of her office and to the infirmary.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack sat shakily on the edge of his bed while Janet and Teal'c positioned the large blue recliner closer to the bedside. He'd had enough of eating in bed, so he heckled Janet until she agreed to at least let him get into a chair. Personally, he didn't see the harm in it. After all it'd been a week since she took that damn catheter out and let him take a leak in the bathroom like a normal man. Even though he was still as weak as a kitten and couldn't walk without a little support, it felt good to get out of bed. Finally, the recliner was in position. Teal'c stood by his side ready to help him get into the chair while Janet readied his IV and heart monitor wires. He so couldn't wait to be rid of those, but he was stuck on the heart monitor for another two weeks or so. At least Janet said that the IV would be gone in two days.

"Okay, Sir, are you ready to get up now?"

"Give up the sir, Doc. We had this talk already, I'm retired," Jack responded as he accepted Teal'c's strong hand.

"Sorry, Jack. Now take it easy and go slow," Janet instructed him and got a hold of his other arm.

Jack shot her an irritated look then allowed his friend's to help him to his feet. Even through the slippers, the floor was cold on his feet. The cool air hit his bare backside, he made a mental note to talk to Janet about that later, making him very glad of two things; that no one was behind him and that Janet was courteous enough to put a nice warm blanket on the chair for him to sit on. He eased down into the overstuffed chair feeling like he'd aged a hundred years in a day. The dull ache in his chest flared up then eased away. It would be like that for a while longer, he understood and accepted it, but he wished that it would be sooner rather than later.

Teal'c slid the over the bed table over Jack's lap, "Here is your evening meal, O'Neill. I hope that you find it enjoyable."

"Thanks, T." Jack said as he lifted the lid from the dinner plate, wrinkling his nose at the smell from the entrée.

Teal'c replied with a stately nod and stepped back to stand guard over his convalescing friend.

Jack picked up his large handled fork and began to poke at the baked fish with plain whole wheat rice, "Hey, Doc. Any chance I can get some real food? Pizza and nice cold beer would be good."

"Nice try, Si- Jack. You have to eat healthy until you get better," Janet retorted.

"Hey, I'll have you know that pizza _is_ healthy. It covers at least four of the major food groups."

Janet rolled her eyes and perched her hands on her hips, glaring at Jack with the best angry look that she could muster without bursting out laughing, "If it wasn't covered in dripping grease, then you'd be right. You are still a very ill man and until you're better you _are_ going to eat healthy. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Jack grumbled.

"Good! Now I'm going to my office to do some paperwork. Make sure that you eat every bite of food on that plate," Janet ordered sternly and quickly turned her back to him when she couldn't hold back the grin any longer.

"Napoleonic power monger," Jack mumbled as he stabbed a bite of fish with his fork.

"I heard that," Janet yelled back at him with a giggle before she disappeared into her office.

"Is it wise to get Dr. Frasier's so angry, O'Neill?"

"Probably not, T. But it's good for the heart."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam paused outside of the door to Jack's infirmary room trying to gather her nerves. She felt like a giddy little school girl at the senior quarter back's front door. With a deep breath she opened the door and walked in. She was happy to see Jack sitting in the recliner and scooping a bite of blue Jell-O from a bowl instead of being in the bed which always drove home how sick he was. Her heart skipped a beat when he looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey, Carter! Come on in and take a load off," Jack greeted her cheerfully then laid the spoon on the tray with a trembling hand, leaving his IV line trailing behind his arm. He glanced nervously up at Sam, hoping that she didn't notice how much he was shaking. Doc had told him that the substance from the worm had affected his nervous system and now he had something similar to Parkinson's disease. It was just one more strike against him as far as being with Sam was concerned.

Sam smiled and walked across the room then sat down in the chair across from Jack's, "Thank you, Sir."

"Carter?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"My name is Jack. I'm no longer in the Air Force so drop the sir."

"Yes, Sir. Jack. Sorry," Sam sputtered.

Teal'c took this as cue that it would be a good time to leave and let these two talk. He maybe an alien to this world, but even he could tell when love was in the air.

"I will return your tray for you, O'Neill," Teal'c said as he bent over and picked up the tray.

"You don't have to. They'll come for it then like they always do," Jack replied.

"It is no trouble, O'Neill. It is time for me to have my evening meal as well."

"Thanks, T."

Teal'c gave a nod and left the room. In a way Jack was glad that he was alone with Sam because if she turned him down then they'd be the only witnesses to his humiliation. That little nagging voice in his head told him to forget about it, just talk to her about the weather or her latest project. He could think of a ton of reasons that she'd have to say no and not a single reason for to say yes. That would be especially so once she found out about the nervous system disease that now plagued him. He looked over at her sitting in her chair and nervously repositioning herself in the chair, her beautiful blue eyes watching him. That was all it took, it was do or die time. He tossed out any self-doubt that he had and went for it.

"Uh, Carter, I uh-," Jack paused as his mouth suddenly felt like it had become filled with cotton. Without thinking he reached up to grab his cup of water and just as he got it to his lips, his hand began to shake and the cup slipped from his grip spilling water all down his front, "Shit!"

Sam jumped up and grabbed a hand towel from the bedside table, "Let me help you."

"I'm fine!" Jack snapped as his cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Sam took a step back and looked down at him, "Jack, what's wrong?"

He couldn't look at her. The tremors were getting worse; nearly his whole body was twitching. It happened every time he was nervous. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. He could feel her looking at him; waiting for an answer. How could he tell her? What could he say? That on top of having a bad heart for the rest of his life, he'd forever be an ever shaking weakling? A vision of her running from the room and never seeing her again flashed through his mind. He felt her warm hand grab his chin and tilt his head up.

"Jack? Please open your eyes and talk to me," Sam's voice was thick with concern and it tugged at his heart.

With a deep breath, he opened his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat, "I- uh. I don't know where to start."

Sam let go of his chin, "Why don't I go and get Janet to come help you change into something dry and then we'll talk?"

"Okay," Jack answered quietly. "Come back?"

"Yes, Jack, I'm coming back."

Sam ran her hand along Jack's cheek before leaving the room. Jack felt like crying; the anger and frustration burning at his mind. Just as he'd got the chance and the nerve to tell her how much he loved her, he makes a mess of himself and the situation. Why did all the bad shit have to happen to him? Is he not allowed to love or to be happy? Was it his lot in life to be alone and miserable? He looked down at his wet, trembling body and shook his head sadly. A fully grown man barely able to feed himself, sitting here with a wet ass after spilling his drink on himself, having to sit and wait for someone to come help him change into dry clothes. It was a life that he didn't want to live himself and he had to no right to ask Sam to live it either. By the time Sam returned with Janet a few minutes later, he'd resigned himself to be a lonely cripple and a deep depression had settled in.

Janet walked up to his chair with a dry gown in hand, "Okay, Jack, let's get you sorted out."

"I'll wait out in the hall," Sam offered as she laid her hand on Jack's.

"Might as well stay. Momma bear'll need help changing baby bear," Jack replied dejectedly.

Sam looked at Janet, both knowing that Jack had went to that dark place and the battle to bring him back out of it would be long and hard. Janet gave her tight smile and shrugged her shoulders then sat the clean gown on the edge of Jack's bed. She walked over to the bathroom and grabbed a clean hand towel. Jack was still staring down at the floor when she returned to the chair. His tremors seemed to be easing up, but not by much. It was understandable for him to be upset because it was hard for him to be dependent on anyone.

"I'm just going to slide this towel up under here to cover your groin and then we'll get you changed," Janet told him as she slipped on a pair of rubber gloves.

Jack closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the recliner while Janet slid the hand towel under his gown. He didn't open them back up until he felt her hand on his shoulder. Without having to be told, he leaned forward slightly so that she could untie the back of his gown. His cheeks burned with humiliation when she pulled the wet gown off of him and all he had on was the small hand towel covering his private area. That was nothing compared to the horror he felt when Sam gasped at the sight of the zipper looking incision running down the center of his chest.

Janet picked the fresh gown up off of the bed and unfolded it, "Sam, can you take this and hold it while I help him slide forward?"

"Sure," Sam replied as she took the gown from Janet.

"Alright, Jack, just lean on me and scoot," Janet instructed him and wrapped her arms around his sides under his armpits.

Jack grunted with effort as he slowly scooted forward, even with Janet's help it was hard for him to move. Making more than one motion at a time was a feat that was no longer on his list of God given abilities. So, he just sat there like a trembling rag doll and let them to what need to be done. He was putting some serious thought to having Janet transfer him to a care home. It would be easier to be cared for by total stranger who didn't know him than it would be to have his friends do it.

Janet held Jack steady as Sam tied the last knot on the back of his fresh gown, "Okay, Jack, let's go ahead and start get you sitting back. Unless you want to get into bed now?"

Jack looked up at her with horrified expression on his face. He couldn't bear the humiliation of Sam watching him struggle to walk a few small steps all the while holding him upright as though he were a toddler just learning to walk, "No, I'll just sit here for a while."

"Can I get you anything while I'm here?"

"No," Jack answered quietly.

Janet looked sadly at Sam then back to Jack, "I'll be in my office if you change your mind."

Jack watched Janet leave and when she was gone he looked at the floor. Anything so that he didn't have to look at Sam. He could almost bet that she was uncomfortable being in the same room with him and having to be near this sorry excuse for a man.

"Jack?" Sam's soft voice nearly made him jump out of his skin.

Jack kept his eyes to the floor, "What?"

"Tell me what you were going to say before you spilled your water."

"Nothing."

"Alright. Fine, I'll just tell you what I came here to say. I love you, Jack O'Neill. I'm sorry that this had to happen to you, but it _doesn't_ change how I feel about you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Jack looked up at her, "Why? Why would you want to put up with this for the rest of your life?"

"Because like I just told you, _I love you._ I've loved you since I first saw you." Sam paused and knelt down in front of Jack, lovingly cupping his cheek in her hand, "Jack, please believe me. I love you. I know that you think that I wouldn't want you because of this, but you are wrong. I wish that I'd had the nerve to tell you how I felt about you before. It was my loss. If you'll have me, I'd consider it an honor. I want take care of you, Jack."

"Sam, I love you too. That's what I was going to tell you before I made a total ass out of myself. I just don't think that it'd be fair for you to waste your time taking care of my worthless ass when you deserve to have a better life than that."

"Being with you _is_ a better life for me, Jack! I can't imagine a better life than that."

Jack looked at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes, she really did love him. Though he honestly could understand why, he was happier than he'd been since the day Charlie was born. He reached out a shaky hand and when she took it, he brought to his lips to kiss it. With a smile on his face he looked back into her beautiful blue eyes, "Sam, if I died tomorrow I'd love you forever and die a very happy man."

Tears welled up in her eyes as he spoke; she stood and wrapped her arms around him. It felt like heaven to be so close; each one drinking in the other's scent. To them the world disappeared; it was only them and their love that existed now.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack didn't know what woke him. He looked at the clock to see that it was just past two in the morning and the lights in the infirmary were turned down. Something in the chair by his bed moved and he strained his eyes to see what it was.

"Sam?"

The object sat straight up in the chair and leaned into the light, it was his beloved Sam. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. Since they'd confessed their feelings for each other three weeks ago, she'd been his constant companion. They'd grown very close in such a short amount of time and it'd become almost as though they'd been together forever. He couldn't remember being so happy since the day his son was born. Sam was the sunshine in the darkness that had become his life. She made this all bearable and made him want to wake up in the mornings.

Sam jumped out of the chair and flipped the small light over Jack's bed on, "Jack? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Water?"

Sam picked up the cup of iced water from Jack's table and held the straw to his lips, holding it there until he finished then sat it back on the table. She tensed up as Jack shifted his position in the bed. "Do you need anything else?"

"Gotta go to the bathroom," Jack replied as he tossed off his blankets.

Sam reached up to push the call button, "I'll get a nurse."

"Don't need one. Just pull that wheelchair over here and help me up."

"Jack? What if I drop you?"

Jack looked at her then burst out laughing, "You don't have to pick me up, Sam. I'm not a baby. Just support me."

His own last words sunk in and his smile disappeared. Hell he couldn't even go take a piss by himself.

"Jack, honey, what's wrong?"

Jack looked down at his lap and picked at an invisible lint ball on his gown, "I was wrong."

"About what?"

"I am a baby," he answered quietly.

Sam walked up to him and took a gentle hold of his chin, tilting his head up to face her. "Jack you are _not_ a baby. It doesn't make you less of a person to have to ask for help when you need it. I'm here to help you, Jack, and it doesn't make me think any less of you to do it."

Jack still felt degraded, but her words made him smile, "Thanks."

"Ah, it was nothing. I do what I have to do when the man I love is being a bit down on himself." Sam kissed his forehead and smiled, "Now let's get you into the wheelchair and to the bathroom."

"Yes, boss."

Sam gave him a playful swat on the leg then pulled the wheelchair as close to the bed as she could get it. She helped him scoot to the edge of the bed then stand on shaky legs, holding him tightly as he turned and sat down in the wheelchair. She patted him on the shoulder then pushed him into the bathroom, flipping the light on as they went through the doorway.

After he was done, Sam took him back out to the bed and helping him back into it. She started to pull the covers up over him, but he stopped her. He looked at her with a smile and patted the bed.

"Join me?"

"I'd love nothing more, but what if someone comes in?"

"Who cares?"

Jack's heart fluttered when Sam smiled then climbed up in the bed beside him, relishing the feel of her warmth against him. He couldn't wait until the end of next week when he would go home with Sam at his side. She had already moved most of her stuff into his house while Daniel and Teal'c helped Siler install the grab bars and railings in Jack's house. He fell asleep with a smile on his face and the love of his life cuddled close to him.

SG1SG1SG1

Sam watched as Jack struggled with the walking frame, his face wet and dripping with sweat. It was a hard sight to see, Jack struggling to do something that most take for granted. It had taken him nearly twenty minutes to make it three- quarters of the way across the gym and he was already exhausted. The trembling weak state that the worm had left him in seemed to be a permanent condition and it upset him to say the least. He'd become frustrated when the tremors started and he'd have to struggle to do the simplest tasks. Janet had ordered a walking frame similar to what they used to teach people with traumatic brain injury to walk in hopes that it would be easier for him to walk, it helped but not much.

"Get my damn wheelchair over here!" Jack's angry shout echoed across the room, snapping Sam out of her revere.

"Jack, you have to be patient with yourself," Janet said trying in vain to quell her angry patient.

"You do it if you think it's so damned easy. Get me off this thing. I don't wanna do this anymore!" Jack barked at her.

Sam got up from her chair and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. The madder he got, the more he shook and by the time she touched him he felt like a jackhammer on high speed.

"Jack, calm down. I know it's hard, but you have to try. You're doing great," Sam told him calmly.

"Yeah, doin' real great alright. I'm strapped to a fucking frame and shaking like a 10.0 earthquake. A two year old can walk better and faster than me. So, yeah, I'm doin' just peachy," Jack growled.

Sam rubbed his back in slow calming circles, "I know that you're frustrated, Jack, but yelling at me and Janet isn't going to help anything. If you settle down the shaking will ease up and you know that. Now, take a few deeps breaths and relax."

Jack did as he was told and within a few seconds the redness in his face had receded, but the tremors remained. It would take bit longer for them to go since he was so angry.

"Sorry, Sam. Doc," Jack's said quietly with his head down.

Janet smiled at him then laid her hand on his, "It's okay, Jack. I'd be angry too if I was in your situation. But, you need the exercise otherwise your leg muscles will waste away and you won't be able to walk at all or move for that matter. Aside from that you had a serious heart attack. You need the rehab to help your heart to heal and return to normal functioning."

"I know. I just hate this, it makes me feel so helpless."

"I know, sweetheart, but we're here to help you," Sam said sweetly then gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

Janet motioned for the nurse to bring Jack's wheelchair closer, "Let's get you into your wheelchair and take you back to your room for a shower."

Sam helped hold Jack up while Janet undid the straps then they eased him down into his wheelchair. It made for hard work because of the tremors, but Sam knew that it was harder on him than it was on them. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when he was seated. She grabbed a hold of the chairs handles and steered him out of the gym with Janet and the nurse in tow.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack stared nervously at the ceiling while he held tightly to Sam's hand, the tremors causing his body to twitch. The cool air of the infirmary on his bare chest made goosebumps form on his skin. Though he thought that maybe they were more from anticipation of what was to come. It'd been six weeks since he'd had the heart attack and subsequent open heart surgery, so it was time to have the staples removed from his chest incision. He turned his head to the side to see Janet walking toward him with a stainless steel tray with various medical tools on it. The tray made a hollow clank when she sat it on the over the bed table nearly making Jack jump out of his skin.

"You tryin' to make me have another heart attack so that ya can keep me here?"

"Jack, that wasn't funny," Sam admonished him. He gave her an apologetic smile and soon found himself lost in her eyes.

"Are you ready to get started?" Janet asked as she prepared her supplies.

Jack tore his eyes off of Sam and turned his attention to Janet, "Ready as I'll ever be."

"This won't hurt, but it'll burn a little and you'll feel a pulling," Janet informed him then picked up a strange looking set of pliers. "Here we go."

Jack's grip on Sam's hand tightened and his tremors escalated slightly. He squeezed his eyes closed when Janet took hold of the first staple and began to pull. She was right, it burned but nowhere near as badly as he expected. Sam rubbed slow circles on the back of his hand with her thumb and he felt himself starting to relax just a little. He opened his eyes and looked at Sam. There was an odd expression on her face, almost a cross between disgust and fear with her eyes transfixed on what Janet was doing. Was she disgusted with him? Was she regretting making the decision to be with him? A nervous smile appeared on her lips when she caught him looking at her.

"Are you okay?"

Jack winced as Janet pulled another staple out toward the bottom of the incision, "Yeah."

"We're almost done here, Jack. Just a few more to go," Janet told him while dropping the staple she'd just removed into the small metal basin.

Jack closed his eyes again and tried to shove his doubts about Sam's love for him out of his mind. He only had to wait two more days until he could go home, home with Sam and they could talk.

SG1SG1SG1

A hush fell over the commissary when Sg-1 entered and made their way to a table just a few feet from the door. All eyes were on Jack as Sam pushed his wheelchair as close to the table as she could then patted him gently on the shoulder. She followed Teal'c and Daniel to the serving line, glaring at the room's occupants until they finally got the hint and stopped staring at Jack. Jack sat there and stared at the floor. He could hear the Marines at the next table whispering about him and he was quickly regretting his decision to come here to eat his dinner. The stares and whispers were making him nervous and the nervousness made the tremors come. He reached up and pushed himself back away from the table a bit so that his trembling knees would stop shaking the table and making the silverware clang. He jumped when a tray of food appeared on the table before him.

Sam sat down in the chair on the right side of Jack's wheelchair and pushed the tray closer to Jack, "Here you go, Jack. I even got you a nice big piece of chocolate cake for desert."

"Thanks," Jack said quietly, keeping his head down toward his shaking legs.

"Honey, are you okay?" Sam asked as she looked at him with concern.

Jack looked up at her and managed a small, pathetic smile, "I'm fine. Just got a bit of the shakes is all."

Sam patted his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. The Marines continued to stare at Jack and murmur as SG-1 ate their meal. It had long ago evolved from an embarrassment for Jack to a flat out annoyance. By the time he finished his meal and was getting ready to dig into his cake he was shaking with anger. The rude comments about his disability and relationship with Sam had taken their toll. He dug into the cake with his fork and brought it toward his mouth, his hand trembling to the point where he barely had control over it. Just as he got it near his mouth, the cake plopped down into his lap with a moist plop.

The Marine sitting closest to Jack burst out laughing and pointed at Jack, "Hey, look at that! The shaky old fly boy missed his big mouth. Guess the little misses will have to change his diaper for him."

This caused his cronies to howl in laughter and Jack's blood to boil, "Yeah well at least I don't have to get my mommy to do it for me, jar head."

The laughter stopped and the ring leader stood from his seat. With his fists clenched, he stomped toward Jack's wheelchair, "You stupid son of a bitch! It's a damn shame that the heart attack didn't kill you. I-"

His words were cut off when Daniel's fist slammed right into his mouth and knocked him to the floor. The room went dead silent and stared in shock. Jack's eyes and mouth hung wide open, had he really just witnessed Daniel the nerd knock a Marine on his ass?

The rest of the Marines at the table stood and began to walk toward Jack, Teal'c quickly stood in their path.

"It would not be wise for you to come any farther as you may suffer the same fate as your friend," Teal'c said in stern tone, glaring down at the three men.

Sam looked down at the man on the floor as he nursed his bloody nose and smiled, "Sorry about your fall, Lieutenant Kraemer. You should really watch where you're going."

Teal'c nodded at the three Marines left standing, without a word they hurried over to their friend and helped him to his feet. Jack smiled as he watched them leave the commissary. He looked over at Daniel who was still rubbing his knuckles.

"Great job, Danny Boy. Didn't know ya had it in ya," Jack said proudly.

"Yeah, well," Daniel replied.

They finished their desserts while chatting cheerfully. The incident with the Marines had made Jack feel a little better. Maybe he needed to release his tension more often and not hold it in. Although, he'd have to find a different way of doing it because as much as he'd love to, he couldn't go around assaulting Marines; or having Daniel do it for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack lay back on the bed and groaned. After two months of being stuck in the infirmary he was finally going home, but Janet had insisted on doing an EKG before he left. She'd taken those torturous sticky things off of his chest twenty minutes ago, yet here still lay and wait. She'd be back in a few minutes she said, bullshit. He made a mental note to buy her an updated dictionary so she could look up what that really meant. It would have been nice if Sam would have been here with him, but she had a meeting with Hammond about some doohickey that SG-12 had brought back their mission last week. Twenty- five minutes. Okay, he was so tired of waiting. Just as he was about to try and get out of the bed, Janet came through the curtain that surrounded his bed.

"Okay, Jack, I got-"

"It's about damn time!"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I- uh- had to sign off on a chart for another patient after I got your test results back."

"That's nice. Can I go now?"

Janet rolled her eyes and grinned, "Yes, you can go now. Your EKG and blood work came back normal. The substance from the worm is totally out of your system now."

"Yeah? Too bad it didn't take the damage with it," Jack's voice was low and solemn, his trembling hand picked at a non-existent fuzz ball on the leg of his sweatpants.

"Me, too. Why don't you go ahead and put your shirt on while I pull your wheelchair over?"

Jack picked up his shirt and leaned forward to tug it on, "Is Sam coming?"

"Yeah, she called the lab just before I left and said that she'd be in here in fifteen minutes. So by the time we get you in your chair she should be here."

Janet grabbed a hold of the curtain and paused, turning to make sure that Jack was watching. She cleared her throat and a few seconds later she heard the sound repeated on the other side of the curtain. With a big smile on her face she yanked the curtain back to reveal Sam, Cassie, Daniel, Teal'c, and Hammond standing around a new, red electric wheelchair.

"Surprise!" They called out in unison.

Jack's mouth and eyes hung wide open with shock. He was touched by the action and left totally speechless. They'd all stood by him the past two months since he'd suffered the heart attack and now this. He didn't deserve to have such good friends. It took a few minutes before he could speak.

"Thanks," Jack choked out quietly.

Cassie smiled, "You've earned it, Uncle Jack. We wanted to do something to show you how much you mean to us and to thank you for everything that you have done for us over the years. And this is just a part of it."

"She's right, Jack. I know that you're sitting there wondering what makes you so special and to be honest it's sort of irritating so stop. Just know that you are special to us and that we are honored to have you as a friend," Daniel told as he laid a hand on Cassie's shoulder.

Usually Jack wasn't an emotional person, but right now he was finding it very difficult to contain them. It felt good to have such great and caring friends.

"Would you like some assistance in getting into your new wheelchair, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked with a smile.

"Yes, Teal'c thanks," Jack replied quietly.

Teal'c and Daniel stepped forward to help their friend into the wheelchair. Jack trembled slightly as he clung to them for support, making every effort that he could to help make the few steps. They lowered him gently into the seat and stood back with smiles on their faces. The seat was soft and formed just right to help support him. He looked down to see that there were safety straps attached to the seat and he assumed that this was for when the tremors were bad enough to make it hard for him to sit up on his own. Thankfully that was an occasion that so far hadn't happened that many times, but he was comforted with the precaution. He took a hold of the control stick and turned the wheelchair around in a circle.

"Try not to get any speeding tickets with it, Jack," Hammond teased him.

"I'll try not to, Sir."

SG1SG1SG1

The white moonlight illuminated the bedroom creating a warm glow over the two lovers as they lay cuddled in bed. Jack ran his fingers up and down Sam's bare arm while he relished in the feel of her. Making love to her was an emotional joy as well as a physical one for him. He was worried that his heart or the disease from the worm's secretion would somehow prevent it, but thankfully that wasn't the case. At first they had planned to wait until they were married, but the memory of his near death changed their minds. Neither of them wanted to wait for anything and so right after Sam had given him the grand tour of the modifications to his house, Jack proposed to her. It had taken some deception, but he managed to get Daniel to buy an engagement ring for Sam last week. As soon as she stopped screaming they decided to get married the following week.

Sam lifted her head slightly, "Jack?"

"Yes, dear."

"I want to ask you something. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"You can ask me anything. What do you want to know?"

"What's it like? The- you know?"

Oh, yeah, he knew what she meant and it saddened him a bit that she was afraid to ask him about it. After all he had made a promise to her to be totally honest with her and never hold anything back, including his emotions.

"It's kind of hard to explain. I'm just really weak all of the time. Like ya know how ya feel after you've been really sick and you start to get over it. And as far as the tremors, it just feels like I got the chills."

"Sorry. I just wanted to try and understand what it's like for you."

"Why be sorry? It's all part of the bargain."

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Sam."

The two lovers cuddled closer until they both drifted off into a deep and contented sleep with smiles on their faces.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack sat in the den staring out over the back yard, picturing in his mind what it would look like all decorated up for the wedding. Five days seemed like an eternity to have to wait to make Sam his wife, but it would be well worth it. A big smile formed on his lips as he heard the preacher pronounce them Mr. And Mrs. Jack O'Neill.

"What are you smiling about?" Sam asked, nearly causing him to jump from his skin.

"Just thinkin',"Jack replied.

"Oh God! I'd better hurry up and open the windows to let the smoke out," Sam teased him as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Hey!" Jack said with mocked anger then let out a laugh.

"I'm going to run over to my place to grab a few things. Do you need anything before I go?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"Jack, I don't want you to be doing anything while I'm gone. Just sit here and relax," she told him then kissed him on the lips. "I mean it, Jack."

"Yes, mother."

Sam gave him one last kiss then headed for the door. He kept his eyes on her until the door closed behind her. He couldn't wait until she had all of her stuff here and they were living together as man and wife. At least he didn't have to worry about her getting hurt off-world since Hammond was gracious enough to give her a year's leave for the wedding and honeymoon and to help him until he was ready to go back to work. He'd been offered a post at the SGC teaching classes and giving seminars. It wasn't the same as going off-world, but it was something he could do to feel useful and pass on what knowledge he had to others. He sat there for a few more minutes before he reached down to get a drink and realized that he didn't have one. He turned his wheelchair around to go out into the kitchen for a drink. Siler had done a great job on the ramp going up into the kitchen area and he glided up it easily.

When he got to the kitchen he went over to get a glass from the dish drainer, but there wasn't. Sam was so going to kill him, but he was going to have to stand up to get one from the cupboard. He tried to keep from shaking as he gripped the counter for support as he slowly pulled himself into a standing position. So far, so good he thought as he reached up to get the glass. But just as he got his hand around it, he began to shake and shake hard. Before he could start to lower himself back into his chair, his legs gave out. The glass crashed to the floor as Jack lost his hold on the counter. He went to grab the counter again, but he missed and grabbed a towel that was hanging from the handle of the drawer. The drawer slid open just as his legs totally gave out. The side of his head smashed into the edge of the drawer as he fell face first into the broken glass on the floor. The drawer slipped from its nook in the counter and hit Jack's back as he lapsed into unconsciousness.

SG1SG1SG1

Sam sang along to the tune on the radio as she pulled her car into Jack's driveway. She continued singing as she turned off the ignition and got out of the car. There was a little skip to step when she opened the back door to get her duffle bag out then bumped the door closed with her hip. Her mind was on the wedding as she made her way to the front door and put the key in the lock. She couldn't wait to get inside and wrap her arms around Jack. A bad feeling swept through her when she opened the door and stepped in, something felt off. Kicking the door closed with her foot she sat the duffle bag down in the hallway. She took two steps forward and froze in her tracks when she saw Jack's empty wheelchair sitting in the kitchen. A tightness formed in her chest and her feet felt like they turned into lead when she slowly walked toward the wheelchair.

"Jack!" Sam screamed when she saw Jack lying face down on the tiled floor with a pool of blood under his head.

She quickly knelt at his side and knocked the drawer off of his back. She held her breath and her hand shook as she felt for a pulse, releasing the breath when she felt the strong flutter under her fingertips. Assured that he was alive and breathing, she stood and hurried to the phone to call 911. After reporting the fall and being told the ambulance was on the way, Sam ended the call and hastily dialed Janet's cell phone number. Tears streamed from her eyes as she paced the floor as she waited for Janet to answer. Finally, after three rings she heard her friend's voice on the other end.

"Janet, Jack fell. I found him on the floor when I got home. I called 911 and the ambulance is coming. Where should we take him? Will you be there?"

"Sam, take a deep breath and calm down. I can't understand you."

Sam took a deep breath and repeated what she said slowly.

"Have them take him to the Academy Hospital. I'll turn around and meet you there."

"Thanks, Janet," Sam said between sobs. She hung up the phone and knelt back down beside Jack.

Sam sat there with her hand on his arm, talking quietly to him until the ambulance arrived. She knew that she should try to stop the bleeding, but without knowing what happened she felt it best not to move him. She watched helplessly as the paramedics tended to Jack, administering basic aid then lifting him onto a gurney. The neighbors gawked as Jack was loaded into the back of the ambulance and Sam climbed up in, taking a seat at his side. Her heart lurched at the sight of all the blood covering his face and oozing from the big gash that ran from his forehead to the edge of his cheekbone. The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever, but it was less than five minutes later that they backed into the ambulance bay at the Academy Hospital. Much to Sam's relief Janet was there waiting for Jack and quickly taking charge of his care as soon as he was wheeled into the trauma room. Sam protested when a nurse steered her out into the waiting room. She didn't want to be there, she wanted to be with Jack. With one last glance toward the room where Jack had been taken, Sam collapsed into the closest chair and let the tears fall. Twenty minutes later she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jumped to her feet thinking that it was Janet and nearly knocked Daniel on the floor.

"Sorry, Daniel, I thought that you were Janet," Sam said through her sobs.

"It's okay, Sam. So, I take it there hasn't been any word?"

Fresh tears formed in Sam's eyes as she sat back down in her seat, "No and its got me really worried. What if something's wrong? What if he dies?"

"He's going to be fine, Sam," Daniel comforted her then pulling her into a hug.

They sat in silence for the next hour until a weary looking Janet walked into the small waiting area.

"Janet? How is he? Is he okay? Is he awake?" Sam spit the questions out in rapid fire as she hurried over to the doctor.

"Calm down. Jack's going to be fine. He has a mild concussion and a pretty good sized gash on his temple along with a few smaller ones along the side of his face from the glass. I stitched the gash up and removed the shards of glass. He woke up shortly after arrival, but I gave him some pain medication so he's asleep now," Janet told her in a comforting tone. "I want to keep him overnight for observation."

"Can I go see him?"

Janet gave her a reassuring smile, "Of course. They haven't taken him to a room yet, but you can walk up with him when they do."

Sam flung her arms around Janet and pulled her into a warm hug, "Thanks, Janet."

Janet gave Daniel a hug to before she led them back to the treatment area where Jack was. When they reached the curtained off where Jack's bed was, Janet paused and looked at Sam.

"I'm not expecting him to wake up for a while, but I wanted to tell you what he said when he woke up in the ER," Janet spoke in a whisper so that no one, especially Jack could hear. "He was worried that you'd be mad at him and not want to marry him. Then he kept saying that he was sorry."

Sam put her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob, "Why would I be mad at him?"

Janet glanced at Daniel then back to Sam, "He said because he didn't do what he was told."

Sam looked confused for a second before it dawned on her what Jack meant, "Oh, God! I told him before I left the house not to do anything. Just to sit there and relax until I got back."

Janet gave Sam a reassuring smile and pulled the curtain aside. Sam gasped when she saw Jack's still form lying on the bed. He lay on his back with his arms down at his sides, his head tilted slightly to the left. The entire right side of his face was cut up and covered with a deep purple bruise making his face look so pale. The sound of the heart monitor and the oxygen hissing from the nasal cannula filled the small cubicle. She kissed him on the forehead before sitting down in the chair at his bedside, taking his hand into hers.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack's butt was numb and his back was stiff from lying in the same position all night. He was still half asleep as he grabbed a hold of the safety rail of the bed and began the slow, shaky process of rolling onto his left side, grumbling when the bright morning sun shone in his eyes. His head thumped slightly as he dug it into the pillow to go back to sleep. Another groan escaped him when his butt went from numb to being cold, but the strong tug from Janet's happy juice overruled the discomfort and he drifted back into dreamland.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack's snoring and unintelligible soft mutterings woke Sam in the chair at his bedside. Her eyes opened slowly and she couldn't help the giggle that burst from her lips when she found herself face to face with Jack's bare assets. She quickly stood up and pulled his blanket back up over him, hoping that the nurses hadn't been in yet. The movement caused Jack to let out a loud groan then his eyes slid slowly open and he looked around. Sam walked around to the other side of his bed and he regarded her with sleepy eyes.

Sam smiled and put her hand on his arm, "Hey, sweetheart, how are ya feeling?"

"I'm okay," he replied quietly then looked down at the floor. "Sorry, Sam."

"What are you sorry for, Jack? You haven't done anything."

"You told me to sit there and relax until you came back. I didn't."

"Oh, hon, it's okay. You're fine and that's all that matters," Sam said sweetly and ran her hand gently through his hair. "Do you remember what happened?"

"I went out into the kitchen to get a drink. There weren't any glasses in the dish drainer so I stood up to get one out of the cupboard. I thought that I could do it since I wasn't shaking that bad and I had the counter to hold onto. But just as I got a hold of the glass my legs started to shake and then gave out on me. I dropped the glass on the floor then I fell on it."

Sam bent down and kissed him on the forehead, wrapping her arm around his back. She wanted to yell at him for trying such a thing on his own, but it seemed as though he'd been punishing himself. It was typical of Jack, worry about others than himself. And now he was more worried about whether or not she was mad at him than how badly he was hurt. She reached down and took hold of his chin and tilted his head up just a little until he finally opened his eyes.

"Jack, listen to me. I'm not mad at you, but please don't scare me like that again."

"I'll try not to."

"You'd better do more than try mister. I finally got you and I _do not_ want to lose you," Sam told him firmly then leaned down to give him a deep passionate kiss.

"Sam, if ya keep that up I'll never get out of here," Jack said with a cheeky grin. A serious look overcame his features and he looked up at her with sad eyes, "I'm sorry that I scared you and that I'm going to look like Frankenstein's clone for the wedding."

"So long as I get to marry you, I don't care how you look."

The two lovers kissed once again before Sam went to the other side of the bed and relocated the chair so that she could sit in front of Jack. They talked about the wedding for a few minutes until the nurses came in to tend to Jack before his breakfast arrived.

SG1SG1SG1

Jack sat in his wheelchair and watched the back door of his house. Any minute now the love of his life will walk out of that door in a dress that in no way could compare to her beauty and walk down the white velveteen carpet to the gazebo where he was waiting for her. A bird chirped in a tree above his head, he looked up to see if he could see it and by the time his gaze went back to the door she was there. The sight of her took his breath away. He ached to hold her in his arms and every step she took toward him felt like an eternity. He watched breathlessly as she walked toward him, treading softly on the red rose petals that Cassie was dropping ahead of her. When she finally made it to his side, his heart was fluttering in his chest. He was so caught up in the sight of her that he jumped when he felt someone grab hold of his arms as Teal'c and Daniel helped him to his feet. It'd been arranged that they would help him stand during the ceremony because he wanted to be able to look her in the eyes when he promised to love her no matter what for the rest of their lives. Of course Sam, being her usual sweet self, had offered to sit in a chair but he refused. As he looked in to her deep blue eyes, he couldn't resist leaning in for a kiss.

They said their vows and exchanged their rings without taking their eyes off of each other. He was so lost in her that he almost missed the words that he'd been waiting to hear.

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Jack O'Neill."

The newlyweds kissed then Sam wrapped her arms around her husband and leaned in for a passion filled embrace.

"Congratulations, daddy," Sam whispered lovingly into Jack's ear.

 **The End**


End file.
